By: Mercy Peter
The Independent National Electoral Commission has solicited for the support of the media in mobilising new registrants for the Continuous Voter Registration.
INEC is to resume new voter registration on 27 May 2024 in Edo and Ondo state.
Residents in both states are expected to go to the polls to elect new governors on the 21 September and 16 November 2024.
Speaking at the second quarterly consultative meeting with the media, Prof Mahmood Yakubu on Wednesday also urged the media houses to submit applications for accreditation to report on the election in earnest.
Yakubu said there will be no online pre-registration option in the two States because of time constraint.
He also said the CVR is to take place at the ward levels and state offices because of time constraint.
Yakubu added, ” The Commission therefore appeals to the media to join us in mobilising prospective registrants for the exercise, particularly on the need to register early and not wait until the deadline approaches when the registration centres will be inundated by eleventh hour registrants.
” As we move closer to Election Day in Edo State, it is also imperative to request media organisations to submit applications for accreditation to report on the election in earnest along with the required documentation for individual journalists and support staff. Doing so will enable the Commission to produce and deliver the identity cards for journalists covering the election in good time. The Commission will not entertain requests outside the deadline for the receipt of applications from interested media organisations or process requests that do not meet the criteria for accreditation.”
Yakubu said the Commission in the next few days will commence the training of at least 794 officials for the exercise.
He also explained that with the registration of voters, the Commission will also make available the uncollected Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) for collection during the CVR.
“In the coming days, the list of uncollected PVCs will be published in our offices in the two States and simultaneously uploaded to our website. We believe that doing so will make it easier for voters to know the availability of the cards and identify the locations to collect them.
“However, no PVCs will be collected by proxy. Registered voters should come in person to collect their cards. Again, we seek for the support of the media in encouraging voters to locate and pick up thier PVCs as was done in the past,” he added.
